Reusable rockets

Rockets now can be launched but they can also land and be used again. The have successfully landed one in 2015. This would save us so much money using this technology, all they would have to do was refuel not build a whole new rocket. I think this is a big this for the exploration of space.

Technical Yet Stylish Sunglasses

For a while now, runners who are conscious about protecting their eyes without their shades falling off while they ran have suffered in silence from their crimes against fashion. But no more! District Vision, an eyewear brand that engineers tasteful sunglasses specifically for running, have created sunglasses that are both stylish and technical. These glasses have two adjustable functions on the nose pad and the temple pieces which pinch, bend, and grip. Thanks to these tastefully practical sunglasses, no longer will people have to choose between athletics and aesthetics. 

"Family sues Amazon after hoverboard burns house down"

It is believed that the hover board overheated in the family's home and thus caught nearby objects on fire, resulting in a devastating fire that destroyed the home. There were six family members of the Fox's in their home in Nashville, Tennessee.  It is believed that the hover boards lithium battery, instead of a Samsung battery which may mean it was an imitation product. The family is currently looking and investigating to try and find the manufacturer after months. The product was being misinterpreted on the site. They are currently seeking 30 million in a law suit.

Snapchat Spectacles Arriving This Fall!

For a while now, company's like Google and Pivothead have been attempting to put glasses that function as cameras in style. Now the creators of Snapchat are attempting to do the same by releasing "Snapchat Spectacles" as the first product of Snap, inc. Their goal is bigger and better, they want to revolutionize wearable cameras in a way to make them fun-weird instead of creepy-weird. These glasses will not only take pictures but record 10 second videos and upload them to snapchat via an iPhone or android paired with Bluetooth. Each set of glasses comes with a case that acts as a charger much like the iPod. The Snapchat Spectacles are estimated to be about $130, which isn't so outrageous considering some Ray-Bans sell for around $150! Affordability isn't that big of a problem, the question is, will these camera spectacles actually catch on?
Link to Article

Phones

Samsung is recalling millions of their new phone product,  Galaxy Note 7 Smartphones because they have been catching fire while they are charging. They have been recalled from 10 different countries. In South Korea, an unidentified man says "I saw small flames on the phone where it was melted," he told CNNMoney. "It disappeared soon after.". This poses as a real life threatening hazard. They are still figuring out how much money it will take to replace all of the phones, considering each phone was sold for 850$.  Although these phones are futuristic and have eye scanning lock technology, the battery has failed again. These batteries get too hot and explode with the pressure.link to article

Link AKC dog collar

The link akc is a dog collar made of leather that has a tracker on it that you can connect to an app on your phone. It helps you monitor your dog's activity and location. It also has a light so you can see in the dark.  Rechargeable battery so you don't have to buy new battery's every time they die you can recharge them. The battery holds a charge for 3 days.

Www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/link-akc-smart-dog-collar/

E volo Volocopter 

The E volo volo copter is pretty much a drone but scaled big enough to carry humans. Haven't you always wanted to fly in like a drone like this. It just looks so cool. It's battery powered which is better for the environment. The company is trying to pave the way for daily flying using it more and more to commute to places that aren't so far away. 

http://www.e-volo.com/index.php/en/simple-en

GoPro has just released a new drone that will change sports photography for the better. At a maximum controlled distance of 1000 meters and a top speed of 35 mph, the new GoPro Karma Drone is an amazing tool for any sports enthusiast. Much like the GoPro cameras, this drone can be taken just about anywhere. The Karma folds neatly in a backpack so you can easily take it on long distant adventures. It has a 3-axis handheld stabilizer which can slide the camera out of the drone and attach it to the stabilizer for smooth shots on the ground. Although it comes with a touchscreen remote, the drone can also be controlled via a mobile app. I believe the Karma will show us the extraordinary angles of sports that oftentimes go unseen.

Link to article

Selling Of FairChild Seminconductor

OM Semiconductor of Pheonix, Arizona has recently bought Fairchild Semiconductor, which holds 650 workers for 2.4 billion recently. People are nervous because this big sell could mean ends to a lot of Mainers jobs, They haven't released any information about layoffs. A man named Keith Jackson, who is the president and chief executive officer, said that his company will support FairChild well and make it stronger. The deal of selling Fairchild is expected to be final in the second quarter of this year.

Fairchild headquarters were in the South Portland area and later moved to San José, California. Fairchild is expected to save 150 million a year once the sale is completed, so it is actually helping the company out. Because the cost for designing chips are going up and the sales are getting slower, causing a bend of bankrupt.

Jersey considers using new technology to allow elderly more independence

As a result of an aging population Jersey is considering implementing new technology to help elder people continue to live on their own. The Islands number of people over the age of 65 is expected to double by 2035 and as result the new hospital is worried about the number of accidents involving elderly people will also increase. The solution is to install high tech sensors in the homes of elders or other at risk people that will send alerts to relatives or carers if any accidents occur.

Cameron Brown

http://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2016/04/06/technology-may-help-elderly-to-live-in-own-homes-longer/

Home sellers using smart technology to attract buyers

Selling houses these days in a competitive market, and to attract more potential buyers many sellers are upgrading their houses with smart technology, such as Smart locks, Smart lighting and better wifi. The fact is these days, it's not very expensive to do so and can only make people want to live in a place more, even in older houses, fully upgrading a house to the latest in home security is only a few hundred dollars. Many older generations (65+) have already adopted things like smart tempeture control in their houses faster then their younger more tech savvy counter parts.

Cameron Brown

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/07/savvy-home-sellers-turn-to-smart-technology.html

Education through Technology

 There is an increasing demand for ways to educate people using technology, not just in the US but in many developing nations as well. Technology being used for education can be found in programs like knewton, which is a software program that allows students to have a more individualized learning experience to Bollywood adding subtitles to their dramas to help with illiteracy rates in India. These new programs and devises are still fairly new to many people and not everyone is used to them just yet, many teachers, particularly those in countries with little access to these things outside of school, don't know what to do with all these new ways of teaching. What many places are doing now is investing more on how to implement these new programs and devises into schools, and less on getting them.

Cameron Brown

https://www.devex.com/news/how-to-get-education-technology-right-87935

Hp thinnest laptop in the world

HP reveals their new laptop The Spectre and it is the thinnest laptop in the world. It is four tenths of an inch thick and it weighs a little less than two and a half pounds and cost $1,170 and is suppose to contend with the new MacBook. HP is hoping to bring life to their slumping PC division. The Spectre runs an Intel Core i7 processor and has 8 GB of memory and has about 10 hours of battery life.

Technology Upgrades Get White House Out of the 20th Century

The White House is getting tired of how the phones they use are so old, the desktops they use shut down by themselves when they over heat, the printers they use can't print in color they can only print in black and white and they can't print double sided.  Even on the Air Force one has internet trouble when they are trying to send emails from up in the air to the ground. 

I think that the White House needs to upgrade everything so that they won't have to keep worry about them shutting down or breaking. I think that once they upgrade everything they won't have to worry about everything overheating and not working properly. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/04/us/politics/technology-upgrades-get-white-house-out-of-the-20th-century.html?_r=1

Facebook, Google, and WhatsApp plan to increase encryption of user data

Apple has phones that are secure and the FBI can not tap into them. The FBI has taken Apple to court to try and get them to give them the codes. Other apps such as Facebook, snapchat, Google, and WhatsApp are signing a legal document to say that they are with Apple on encrypting the texts, calls, and voicemail so FBI can't hack into them.
I think it is a bad idea because for all we know someone could be using one of those apps and could be planning on killing someone, or maybe even going after someone really important like the president. I think the FBI should get these codes just so they can keep an eye on people or just look through people's phones when they are suspects of a crime.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/14/facebook-google-whatsapp-plan-increase-encryption-fbi-apple

American Workers Rank Last In Problem-Solving Skills with Technology

According to new reports the United States ranked "dead last" out of 18 industrial nations when it comes down to problem-solving skills using technology. The report is based on Program for the International Assessment for Adult Competency (PIACC) data testes thousands of adults between the ages of 16 and 74 on literacy, numeracy, and digital problem-solving. Places that had the best problem-solving skills were Japan, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Poland ranked just above the America. I think that we need to work on on problem solving skills with technology. We should continue to work on it even though some people don't think we should.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3057690/fast-feed/american-workers-rank-last-in-problem-solving-skills-with-technology

Fcc new proposal for broadband provider

the fcc has a new proposal for how broadband providers can handle your internet activity. The rules would put the fcc in charge of customer privacy which was previously held by the federal trade commission. This is coming about because of the situation between the fbi and apple, also because of Verizon using technology that allowed marketers to track customers activity.

Why Can't I Concentrate?

Often times in school kids are using their phones, or n their iPads doing god only knows what. We all seem to find ourselves getting distracted from time to time, checking m stages, scrolling through Facebook, reading the latest blog post on tumblr, or looking up DIY on Pinterest. With all these different apps and websites, also comes an abundance of technology. On average, almost 10 hours out of 24 are spent using some kind of technology.. Tv, radio, phone, computer ect. 1/2 18-24 year olds check their phone within 5 minutes of waking up. Maybe you don't see this as a problem, but I'll tell you why it is. At school and even sometimes at work, people will say "well I can multitask!" ... But that isn't the case. Many scientists are starting to truly believe that the brain is not capable of multitasking, that it just switches from one thing to another very quickly. So what do we do? Put the phone down. Turn the tv off. Go outside, go for a walk. Go to lunch with a friend. Spend less time looking at a screen, and more time actually looking at someone.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zshv9qt

NYPD uses cell tracking technology over 1000 times since 2008

Police use a suitcase-sized device that can gather data off of someone's phone. It can trick a phone into thinking it is a cell tower and the police can get evidence they need off of the phone. This technology has helped police solve murders, find robbers, find missing people, catch suspects in kidnappings etc. Commissioner of the NYPD said that they only use the device to get phone number to go to and from the phone. I think that it is a good idea to use the stingray technology because then you would be able to see who they called to maybe get weapons from or get information from on a certain person. People may not like it but they will need to get used to it because this is one way to protect people from any harm that could come their way. This technology could help us figure out how to keep murders, kidnappers, and robbers off the streets or to at least stop them from doing the same thing more than once.

http://phys.org/news/2016-02-nypd-cell-tracking-technology.html

Hackers trying to steal tax refunds

hackers online are trying to steal people's tax money. It's expected that 80 percent of the 150 million tax returns will be filed online this year. Recently online hackers try to steal people's taxpayer identification numbers to file for fraudulent tax returns, and it was detected and shut down.

Is one of your security questions your mother's maiden name? Hacks could glean that name from your family's tax returns.

Square's Apple Pay Reader going on sale now.

A new pay devise invented by Square's will be going on sale at Apple stores. This was part of an agreement that the devise will support Apple Pay, a method of payment that factions like a credit card but can be used from your iPhone. Apple would hope to replace credit cards with this method of payment, but have so far only seen it used in large business chains, a few of which Apple had to get to agree to even use it. But because Square's is focused on selling to small businesses , it is likely more and more will make the switch to accepting Apple Pay.

http://www.wired.com

Residents in California have been using drones to document flooding and coastal erosion

Residents in California have been using drones to document flooding and coastal erosion that has been caused by El Nino. The idea is to capture photos and videos of storm surges and flooded beaches, which could possibly give scientists a brief estimation of what could happen in the future as sea levels continue to rise due to global warming. “Sort of like a crystal ball for climate change.” Images from the latest drones has provided high-resolution 3D maps that will help spread public awareness. http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/california-residents-turn-drones-document-coastal-erosion-n50407

Uber- they new taxi!

Uber is an app, to get you rides places. Very similar to a taxi, but there are some things that set them apart! For example, uber is an app, you request rides on the app, not by calling. Basically you open up the app, you say where you are (for example- South Portland High School) and then you say where you want to go, (50 Herford ave) and then you click "Set Pick Up Location" for about one minute it searches, until a driver accepts! Usually uber drivers are 10-20 minutes away, and they show up to get you! The cars are much more nice, and clean. All the cars have to be 2012 or later, so they are all fairly new. Payment method is via credit / debit card, or Paypal. You can tip them with cash as well. The minimum fair for one ride is $5.15, the base fare is $1.00

Will today's kids be stumped by the technology of the future?

At the rate we are going right now Apple believes that they could release IPhone 24 by 2050. People are wondering if kids will be able to understand the new technology that will be coming out. "Chris Lucas, a fellow at the university of Edinburgh, says kids' willingness to try new things comes from a fundamental fearlessness. Adults, Lucas says, are encumbered with years and years of experience that has taught them that failure is painful and potentially dangerous; kids, on the other hand, have a safety net in the form of their parents, and few preconceptions about the world." Chris has even lead an experiement to see if adults and kids could turn on a strange machine with different objects. You would put an object on the machine and see if it would start playing music. I think that people are stepping to far ahead of themselves because they are trying to figure out if children will be able to understand new technology that isn't even around yet. They need to slow down and use the technology they have now before they start to try and figure out if kids can use brand new technology.

 http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/01/will-todays-kids-be-stumped-by-the-technology-of-the-future/425082/

This supersized drone will fly you to work (or anywhere)

Ehang has recently created a jumbo drone that carried humans- The Ehong 184. They chose 184 because this drone carries 1 person, has 8 propellors, and has 4 arms. When you get into this drone, you are a passenger. Not a pilot. You simply enter in your destination and the drone brings you. Every drone is pre-plotted so you never have to worry about crashing into anything while flying through the air. Each propellor also has a back-up system, so if any propellor is somehow damaged of malfuncions, it will slowly decent to the ground. The Ehong 184 has all electric motors, and can fly around for a maximum of 23 minutes. It also only takes about 25 minutes to charge. Retail price at the moment is anywhere between $200,000 and $300,000. http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/06/184-delivery-drone-for-people/

Google Chrome is about to get much faster

Google has recently announced that it has created an update to Chrome that will boost the speed of your internet browser. This update contains a new data compression algorithm called Brotli. This update helps squish the size of a website down by 26% more than the previous compression tool, making your browsing way faster. Google also made this code open-source, which means it can be used by any browser. Not just chrome. http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/21/technology/google-chrome-faster/index.html

Hoverboards that actually hover? They're here

Canadian entrepreneur, Philippe Maalouf, is working his way to create a real life Hoverboard. He had seen all of the so-called “hoverboards” that have become popular lately and was astounded that people were actually calling them hoverboards, considering they have wheels and touch the ground. So Maalouf, as CEO at Omni Hoverboards, decided he would lead a small team and work towards developing a real overboard. One that actually flies. He says that he not only wants these inventions to be accessible, but he also wants them to be designed by engineers looking to move forwards in the worlds sports, recreation, policing, military and urban transportation. Though at this time it’s estimated retail price would be from $25,000 to $50,000, they are coming up with ideas from small, cheaper, more accessible models. http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/20/tech/future-of-adventure-flying-hoverboards/index.html

phones in your body

We have smart watches, smart phones and tablets and next we could have phones implanted into our bodies. We could have smart phones in out hands, literally. People expect to have this technology
Avalible  commercially around 2023. They also to have predict that 1 in every 10 cars in the U.S will be driverless by 2016. People are expecting technology to keep improving and to have more advanced technology within the next decade

Seeking Gun Safety Technology

     Obama wants the United States to star making smart guns which is a type of gun that uses technology to stop the gun from being fired. This smart gun is supposed to stop accidental shootings by toddlers, supposed to lead to less teen suicides, and is supposed to cut down illegal trading of weapons. "In each of the three categories of gun deaths — accidental, suicide, and homicide — there would be a reduction in the number of personalized guns were widely available," Stephen Teret, founding director of the Johns Hopkins Center of Gun Policy and Research, said. See I think that these smart guns can help out a little bit but people also have to think what if something goes wrong with the gun? What if the gun doesn't work when I need it to? People need to think of those things because it could still hurt people. If parents have them teenagers can find away and use it still. Stephen Teret also said " No one can tell you any precision exactly how many lives are going to be saved" He noted there were 33,000 gun deaths in the U.S. in 2013. "But it would be a substantial enough number. Enough to make it well worth it to put smart guns on the market." I think it is a good idea to have smart guns but there are some negatives to having them. 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-praised-seeking-gun-safety-technology-article-1.2488134

5G cellphones

Cell phone developers are working on bringing 5G cellphones to the market helpfully as soon as 2017. So what's 5G even mean, so the G stands for generation, so 5th generation. 5g will be 40 times faster than 4g, which will allow it to stream 8k video or download a 3-D movie in six seconds compared the six minutes on 4G.